OTTAWA – The Senate ethics committee is recommending embattled Sen. Lynn Beyak be suspended for the duration of the current Parliament for failing to properly apologize for posting racist letters to her official website.
Beyak, who was suspended in the previous session of Parliament for refusing to remove the letters, which suggested there were plenty of positive residential school experiences, issued an apology which the committee said did not meet the spirit and intent of their original recomendation.
“Specifically, it does not acknowledge the letters at the core of the Senate Ethics Officer’s inquiry nor does it acknowledge the adverse effects that her conduct had on Indigenous peoples, on Canadians who hold equality as a Charter value that they cherish, as well as on her colleagues, and on the institution of the Senate,” the report, released on Friday, reads.
Beyak, who hails from Dryden, in November issued an apology to all senators through her lawyer.
“The Senate Ethics Officer, in his report of March 19, 2019, found me in breach of section 7.1 and 7.2 of the Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators and for that I sincerely apologize to all Senators,” Beyak's apology reads.
The report says the ethics officer cannot accept an apology that “fails to show awareness of the wrong, fails to accept responsibiity for tthe wrong, fails to sincerely apologize, fails to atone for past actions and fails to commit to take action in order to rectify the situation.
It goes on to say there is doubt as to whether Beyak understands her conduct was wrong, and not simply recognizing the report determined their was a violation of the ethics code.
The primary concern, the ethics officer said, is that Beyak has not issued an apology to Indigenous people most affected by her conduct.
“Indeed, the fact that the Senate suspended Senator Beyak –only the fifth suspension in the history of the institution –should have given her pause and prompted deep reflection on what occurred and who was adversely affectedby her actions.”
The report says Beyak should reassess her original apology, undergo additional sensitivity training and then offer a meaningful apology.
If Beyak's suspension is continued, she would receive pay, including any sessional or living allowance, be banned from using senate resources. She would have access to health and dental benefits. She would also be allowed to cover costs of her sensitivity training through her office budget, if sufficient resources remained to do so. If not, Beyak would be responsible for the costs.
